Grease prequel, Summer Lovin’, officially moving ahead

New film will explore events of hit musical's song 'Summer Nights'

A new Grease film is finally moving ahead following the announcement that Brett Haley has been attached to direct.

The prequel, titled Summer Lovin’, has been in the works at Paramount since April 2019.

It is said to take inspiration from the song “Summer Nights” in which Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton John) separately tell their friends about a past fling. Summer Lovin’ will explore that encounter in detail.

The directing job is said by Deadline to have been “highly coveted”. Haley’s previous credits include Hearts Beat Loud and All the Bright Places, which arrived on Netflix earlier this year.

Grease is one of the most beloved film musicals of all time. In 2016, a “live for TV” version starring Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens was broadcast, and went on to win five Emmys.

According to reports, Summer Lovin’ has "franchise potential".

In 2018, Travolta addressed a fan theory that suggested that Danny didn’t actually save Sandy from drowning at the beach, just like he claims in the song.

The theory stated that the events of Grease were actually Sandy’s dying dream.

”I love it – imaginations are awesome,” the actor told USA Today. “These things are bound to happen to something timeless like this. It’s so fun.”